


The Nielsen Statement

by themenaceofalderaan



Series: Random Dark Snippets [2]
Category: Dark (TV 2017)
Genre: Alt-world Nielsens, Eva's World, Fluff, Gen, Hair Dyeing, I know absolutely nothing about metal fyi, Katharina Nielsen is a good mom, Kinda, Sibling Bonding, Takes place during Katharina and Ulrich's divorce, discussion of divorce, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-15 12:28:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29314092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/themenaceofalderaan/pseuds/themenaceofalderaan
Summary: Dyeing their hair black doesn't seem like a bad idea to the Nielsen siblings. It becomes a statement.
Relationships: Katharina Nielsen & Magnus Nielsen, Katharina Nielsen & Martha Nielsen, Magnus Nielsen & Martha Nielsen & Mikkel Nielsen, Michael Kahnwald | Mikkel Nielsen & Katharina Nielsen
Series: Random Dark Snippets [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2153226
Comments: 9
Kudos: 13





	The Nielsen Statement

**Author's Note:**

> Just wanted to let you know that I don't know if the alt-world Nielsens actually have black hair or not. My personal headcanon was that they all dyed it at the same time, so here we are.

It was Magnus’ spontaneous idea. An idea of how to improve his image.

Franziska disagreed.

Martha had a different opinion.

Once he told his sister, they went on a hunt for the darkest hair colour dye they could find in Winden.

So here they are, in the cramped bathroom, Magnus sitting on the edge of their bathtub while Martha applies the black colour to his blonde hair. _It’s more grudge_ , he said just a few minutes ago. There is a metal song blasting from Magnus’ speaker, and Martha finds it ridiculous but says nothing.

Besides, it’s better to hear his songs than the arguing of their parents downstairs.

“I hate him,” Magnus says when they can hear Ulrich’s shouting. “He doesn’t deserve Mama.”

Martha agrees silently. She doesn’t know how to feel about her father. She doesn’t feel hate, only betrayal.

“What are you guys doing here?” Mikkel finds them just a few minutes later. Magnus has a plastic bag tied around his head, secured by one of Katharina’s bright red hairpins. Martha is the one sitting as she decides why not, she can dye her hair too. Magnus overestimated the thickness of his hair, they bought too much.

“Magnus is getting emo,” Martha announces to their younger brother.

“Haha,” Magnus rolls his eyes.

Mikkel closes the door behind them, muffling the sound of their parents arguing again. He sits down next to Martha and she strokes his hair. Their parents separating has been hardest for Mikkel. It made him conflicted - he still loves his dad a lot, but he hates the way he screams and deceives his mom.

“Take it easy on Papa,” Martha says, “It’s better this way.”

“Yeah. God knows how long he’s been cheating on her.”

Martha kicks him in the shin. 

“Ow!” Magnus glares down at her.

“I don’t wanna stay with him,” Mikkel murmurs. “Not if she’s around.”

“None of us does,” Martha says. “We’ll stay with Mama. Right?”

“Right,” her brothers agree in unison.

She smiles at her younger brother, squeezing an arm around his shoulders. “It’ll be okay,” she whispers to him. “We’ll be okay.”

Martha pulls away, knowing she hasn’t convinced him. It’s difficult to do so.

Magnus finishes his work on Martha’s hair and does the same trick with a plastic bag, tying it in. He looks at the bowl with the dye, then at Mikkel. “Wanna join our cult?” he grins. He hopes it will lighten up the mood between them.

“Okay,” Mikkel shrugs. He’s numb of emotion. He’s like this every time after their parents have an argument. And boy, do they get loud.

“Hey,” Magnus stops before he applies the dye on Mikkel’s hair. A great way of ruining hair at twelve, huh. “We could consider this… a statement.”

Mikkel raises his eyebrows, very much unimpressed.

Actually, Martha doesn’t think it’s a bad idea. “Yeah,” she nods at Magnus’ words. “A joint statement of disagreement. Peaceful yet very much seen opinion.”

“Papa says cultists and strong-opinionated people are very much the same,” Mikkel frowns. “Like Christians.”

Magnus bursts into laughter. “We’re antiChrists here, youngling. Let’s get you initiated into the Nielsen anti-Papa statement.”

Mikkel only laughs at his words, allowing Magnus to start as Martha watches contently. They don’t have many moments like these, they usually just argue as it’s usual to siblings. How wrong is it that they bond over their parents’ divorce?

“ _Asshole!_ ” they can hear their mother yell after minutes and a loud bang of the door. Martha turns to the small window in the bathroom, bitterly watching as their father takes his car and leaves. _Probably going to Hannah._

There’s an angry, loud stomping on the stairs. Katharina knocks on the door. “Magnus?” she asks. “Where’s Mikkel and Martha?”

“In here,” he answers through the music. He has yet to finish with Mikkel’s hair, considering he’s grown it long, just like him. Martha reaches for the speaker, temporarily silencing it. “Come in.”

Katharina opens the door in confusion.

“What are you doing here?” she asks them with a silent gasp, noticing the bags on Martha’s and Magnus’ hair, and the applied colour on Mikkel’s.

She reaches for the packaging of the dye, shaking her head. “Your hair is going to be in _ruins_.”

“We’re now cultists, Mama,” Mikkel tells her nonchalantly.

“Cultists, huh?” Katharina responds with a smile as she sits on the closed toilet.

“AntiChrists and anti-Papa, currently,” Martha muses.

Katharina’s face softens. “I’m sorry you had to hear that.”

“What was the matter?” Magnus asks. “We thought you had things settled.”

“He announced he wants to keep this house for himself. I have to get a new home for myself,” Katharina says. “It might happen that you’d have to stay here temporarily until I find a place big enough for all of us.”

“Really?” Martha makes a sour face. “With _her_ in here?”

“I’m sorry,” Katharina frowns. “Actually, I had a house in mind, but I don’t know if I’ll get it. I didn’t want to get your hopes up.”

Mikkel looks at her in interest. “Can we see it?”

Katharina pulls out her phone, sighing, as she scrolls through it. They all watch in expectation. She shows them a picture of a two-storey house, painted dark red with dark green trim. “It’s farther away from school and the town, but I think it’s good.”

“It’s perfect,” Martha breathes out. The house seems familiar. Maybe they went by it a few times. It gives her a feeling of cosiness and security yet… shivers. Excited shivers, probably.

“I’m not sure I can top the buyers, though,” Katharina clicks her tongue.

“You will,” Martha smiles. “We believe in you.”

“Yeah!” Mikkel nods.

“It’s a good thing you have faith in me,” Katharina leans back, looking at her three children with fondness. Though all the troubles with Ulrich, they were worth it. She doesn’t know what she’d do without them. Probably be a bitter, boring woman with no stress.

“No faith,” Magnus reminds her. “AntiChrists, remember?”

“Wanna join our statement?” Martha asks.

Katharina’s eyes widen. “Oh, no, no. What would it look like, emerging with that hair in school?”

“Midlife crisis,” Magnus smirks.

“Just a strand,” Martha pleads with puppy eyes. “Come on, Mama. Join us.”

“Please,” Mikkel pouts.

She sighs, staring at them. Then she narrows her eyes at them, growling quietly, and they know they have won her over. Their pleased smiles show that. Maybe it’ll lighten her mood too.

“Fine,” she agrees finally, a playful grimace on her face. She raises her finger up in a warning. “Only a strand.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! :)


End file.
